


The Thorn

by Koi_no_Soshan



Series: Roses and Thorns [2]
Category: W.I.T.C.H.
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-05-23
Updated: 2011-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-19 17:32:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/203369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koi_no_Soshan/pseuds/Koi_no_Soshan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to 'The Rose'. Nearly stripped of their powers, Elyon and Phobos work as both allies and enemies to retrieve the Heart of Meridian from Nerissa.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

  


"I…" Elyon feels like she's drowning. First that…with her _brother_ , and now _this_. She feels drained, weak, and she knows that the mage- whoever she really is- is telling the truth. "How?"

The old woman smiles at her, looking like the witch from one of the nastier fairy tales. "You really shouldn't accept gifts from strangers, princess. And you should certainly never return them." The necklace swings in her hand, the jewel catching the light.

"So you played both of us for fools," Phobos surmises, death in his voice, and Elyon is relieved despite herself, desperate for her brother to take control of the situation as she can't.

"Yes, and now I have two fools to dispose of."

Phobos moves before she can, blocking the lightning which comes from the old woman's hand. The next shot flashes a second later, arcing straight towards Elyon, and she holds her hands up, expecting to die, because surely Phobos won't save her…

But a shield of magic forms in her hands, diverting the lightning. Relief mixes with adrenaline, and Elyon gasps. So she's been drained, but not entirely. That's something, right?

Phobos glances down at her. "Take the defensive," he commands, and then he's off, trading blows with the old woman.

Elyon follows, her flight a little unsteady with lack of practice, and she focuses on shielding him. The thought that she's protecting Phobos, and _why_ is she doing something so stupid, flashes through her mind, but it breaks like glass against a million other concerns. There's no time to think in a fight, not really, and her bones ache as the old woman's powers strike against her shields.

They're overpowered, the Heart of Meridian suddenly their enemy, and Elyon doesn't let herself think about how this battle could end.

One of her shields breaks, and Phobos' arm is hit. It hangs uselessly, burns already showing on his hand.

Black fire eats at the old woman's flesh, and Elyon gasps, her attempt to rebuild their shield forgotten. Her brother never taught her this sort of magic.

The fire is dispelled a moment later, but the woman's skin is burned straight through in places- slick, bleeding muscle shows in patches, the upper layer of skin gone. Elyon is sure that she's going to be sick.

The woman vanishes into some sort of portal, and Elyon collapses to the ground, gasping for breath.

Deep breaths, deep breaths… She is _not_ going to be sick right in front of her brother. "You okay?" she asks when the nausea goes down.

Phobos lands more gracefully, and footsteps approach her. "Your games are wasted now, _dear_ sister. The ruse is up."

Treacherous tears form in Elyon's eyes. She probably shouldn't feel guilty for betraying Phobos, but she does. "I'm sorry," she says, again, knowing that it can never be enough.

"I have no patience for failure or betrayal, sister. Be grateful that I have use for you."

Weaker than him now, and exhausted from battle, Elyon knows that there's no point in trying to fight back or escape.

-o-

Lying in her old bed, dusk seeping in through the window, Elyon gives in to the childish hope that when she wakes up, everything will be different. She won't have slept with her brother, she won't have betrayed him, she won't have lost the Heart of Meridian for both of them… She'll be back in her prison of roses where she belongs.

Wait, no, that's not right. She'll be back in her bed on earth, ready to go to school and be lied to by her friends and be comforted by Cedric, who's lying to her, too…

God, when was the last time her life was _normal_? Was it ever normal? Or were there just the times when she believed all the lies everyone told her? Her parents, her friends, Cedric, her brother…

Well, Phobos doesn't lie to her anymore, who knows why. And maybe that's why she's developed these odd feelings about him. For all that they're enemies, these past few years have been the only ones in which she _wasn't_ lied to. It's a relief, in a way, to know that this confusing mix of care and hate is at least _real_. So much of her life hasn't been.

Phobos hates her, but he can't bring himself to kill her. She's sure of it, sees it in his eyes when he looks at her, filled with disgust as they are. Disgust at her. She'd never have thought that her brother, evil as he is, would have reason to look at someone else that way. But he kind of does.

She wishes she hadn't done it, even as she knows that she'd do it all over again, given a chance. The people of Meridian deserve a real leader, not a tyrant.

So when did doing the right thing become so…so wrong?

-o-

Her brother was the one who sealed the doors, locking her in, so when they open she knows it's him even before she looks.

The disgust is gone from his eyes- they're back to the old mocking calm, the eyes of a man who knows he can control everyone and everything around him like puppets. Well, it could be worse. At least he's sort of back to normal. "I trust you slept well, sister?"

"Yeah right," she mutters, and things are definitely on their way back to normal, for he responds with that narrowing of his eyes he always gives when he thinks her speech is particularly ill-bred. "So, uh…"

"My attempts to scry the sorceress have not met with success, but she is sure to attack again once she is recovered."

"So you'll steal the heart back from her." Elyon wishes she had an idea of how to steal it first, but she still feels too worn out to have any hope.

Phobos nods. "And you, dear sister, are security."

"Security?"

Her brother's face is full of distaste. "The sorceress is far more powerful than either of us. If one is slain, it falls to the other to ensure that the heart is returned to the hands of an Escanor."

So loyalty to the family he hates is her savior. That's…Elyon really isn't sure how to feel about that. "I can't fight her like you can, though," she points out.

"And we shall be working to rectify that."

Elyon just stares at him, dumbstruck. He'd taught her magic before, but never anything that she might be able to use against him. After she betrayed him, _now_ her brother decides to give her power over him?

"So…who are you, and what have you done with my brother?"

Phobos ignores that. "You have been assigned a maid. She will be here shortly to prepare you and escort you to the throne room. Be sure not to be late."

Before Elyon can say that she can't tell the time in Meridian, he's gone.

Her maid arrives what must be a few minutes later, and, though she seems nervous, not saying a word, she helps Elyon through breakfast and dressing, for some reason choosing a white gown rather than a robe for her. Elyon isn't in the mood to agonize over clothes, so she goes along with it. Not really knowing how to do it with magic, Elyon lets her do her hair in its three braids. She has the stupid thought that it doesn't look as good as when Phobos does it, and tries to quash it.

In the hallways people look at her in shock, and some have hope shining in their eyes. Elyon squirms guiltily. She wants to, but she doesn't know that she _can_ free them. Her last attempt to defeat her brother ended pretty disastrously, after all.

Elyon cracks one of the doors to the throne room open, peeking in. For a moment she flashes back to the old days, and expects to see it full of light and roses, with her brother there to indulge her, and Cedric there to fake interest before going off to work.

But instead the throne room is that odd mix of dark and light, monstrous plants next to pleasant plants with deadly purpose. And Cedric is there, but he seems to be arguing with Phobos- well, the kind of arguing you do when you're the most trusted general of a tyrant and still can't really oppose him, anyway.

"Are you certain of this, my king?" Cedric asks, and it's weird to hear him calling Phobos anything other than prince. "The princess may be weak, but she also possesses the ability to take your rightful power from you. And the rebels…"

"Will not have access to her. Let them hope- it won't do them any good." Phobos' voice is dismissive. "However, Cedric, we have a common enemy, and my sister shall be useful in the coming battles."

"Do you know the identity of this enemy?"

Phobos looks at Cedric, probably considering what to tell him. "A sorceress who commands the fifth element. It is difficult to be certain after all this time, but I believe I have faced her before…on Zamballa."

Apparently that means something to Cedric, because he nods.

"Now, the security needs to be seen to- guards will do little to keep her out. We will need to locate wards capable of holding against her power."

"I will see to it, my king," Cedric murmurs, bowing.

Before he can turn around and see her, Elyon knocks and opens the door. "Um, hi."

"Ah, Princess Elyon." Cedric turns to smirk at her, and his voice is a hiss.

Elyon stares back at him coldly. She might not be as powerful as before, but she can still take him. "Cedric."

"So cold," Phobos says, unprejudiced in his mocking. "I do hope we can all work together while our fair land is at risk."

'Evil plants,' she mouths at him, and now he's smirking, too. But it's at her joke, so that's all right.

"Of course, Highness," Cedric says, but he's looking at Elyon, and instead of derision, he just seems confused. Or contemplative. Cedric does angry contemplative, but nothing so vulnerable as confused.

And this is the world she's stuck in, now. She holds back a sigh. At least her relationship with her brother has taught her _something_ about intrigue. "So, brother, you said you recognize that sorceress?"

"Perhaps. If it is her, age has certainly not been kind."

So much for straight answers. What was it he'd said? "Fifth element…"

Her brother smirks as the answer lights in her eyes. "The Guardians are difficult foes to forget."

Elyon wonders how she can get in touch with _her_ Guardians. She knows she's transparent, but it's not like it's hard to guess her thoughts on that count. A part of her is scared of seeing them again, though, after everything that's happened. Everything she's done…

Her hands clench the trailing sleeves of her gown, marring the pretty white silk. White… Belatedly, she realizes what a slight from her brother it is, having her dressed in white. Mocking the purity which she gave to him and let him destroy. Or destroyed herself. She's not sure who's more at fault here.

Phobos is watching her knowingly, and she wants to avert her eyes, but that would show weakness, so instead she meets him head-on, ignoring the red she knows is forming in her cheeks. She can't help being embarrassed, but she can help being weak.

Finally Phobos releases her and says to Cedric, "See about those wards. I want them in place and tested before the sorceress is recovered enough to make another attempt."

Again Cedric bows, and then leaves the throne room. Elyon thinks it's probably for the best- she doesn't know how to feel about Cedric now that they're enemies. How much of his friendship with her was a lie? She should probably assume all of it, just to be on the safe side.

Phobos doesn't seem inclined to say anything yet, so Elyon wanders the gardens, making sure to steer clear of the rose bushes. Roses are definitely her least favorite flowers.

"Cedric doesn't know about the heart, does he? He thinks she's after something else."

Her brother doesn't reply, which makes her think she's hit the mark. Elyon realizes that she's just stumbled on a weapon against him, and she knows with as much surety that she's not going to use it against him.

"The Heart of Meridian is bound to the Escanor line- only one of our number may take the heart without the permission of its current holder. Now that the sorceress has been given the heart," Phobos looks at her mildly, which is scarier than if he'd just glared, "She will seek to eliminate us and secure the heart as hers permanently. She will attack again, and that will be our chance to retrieve it."

Our. It's weird, to hear that word coming from her brother. He never counts himself in with anyone, so why is he doing it now? All he has to do is lock her up again and use her as bait, not…whatever it is he's doing. Preparing her to fight alongside him, he'd said, but why would he do that?

Hours later, exhausted from their 'training' (Phobos' word for it- hers it 'torture'), Elyon gets it. The sorceress stole most of her power, but the jewel must not have had enough time to absorb all of it- she's about equal in power to Phobos now. He probably _can't_ imprison her anymore- she'd be able to hold him off for at least long enough to escape. And he's not strong enough to face the sorceress alone, so he needs her help.

Their eyes meet, understanding passing between them. They need each other for now, but it's not a true alliance- it's a race to determine who can steal the heart back faster.


	2. Chapter 2

To fly or not to fly…

The doors to the balcony stand there, a huge temptation. And really, if she leaves it's her brother's fault for not remembering to seal them, right? And to finally be out of the palace, to see something new, is such a huge temptation; Elyon doesn't think she can stand it.

The doors bang open, and Elyon is out, flying… A minute and she's already far from the palace, high up in the clouds and being soaked by them. They look fluffy from a distance, but really, they're just _wet_.

Elyon laughs, spinning circles in the air.

After a while she lowers a bit, coming back down from the cloud cover and looking at the land spread out before her. She's never been on a plane before, and she's sure that this view beats anything she might have seen from one. All around, she can see straight to the horizon, the sun rising there and it still dark over _there_ … There's forest and villages, all ancient and untouched by the technology that chokes the earth. It's like being in a fairytale.

 _Sometimes fairytales come true…_

Yeah, well, they all have their nasty parts. This isn't one of them.

The land is looking healthier, with crops growing in the farms and green showing in the trees again. Apparently Phobos hadn't felt the need to drain the land of strength once he had her powers to satisfy him.

Elyon pauses in the sky, thoughts of her brother stopping her. It's all so confusing, and there's actually a part of her that wants to go back to the palace, rather than just fly further, further until she can find a portal and escape to earth.

She has to land eventually, though, and she does so in the woods near a town, secluded but not too isolated. She isn't sure if it's a good idea to interact with people or not at the moment- who's on what side, what they'll expect of her…it's all a mystery.

But they're her people, and she's failed them so much… She has to keep that in mind.

There are dark creatures hiding in the woods, but there are also more normal animals…though their sizes vary a lot from what they would on earth.

All right, maybe this wasn't such a great idea, she has to admit when a giant marmot has her stuck up in a tree. Of all the things to be chased up a tree by, a cute little- well, not so little- marmot. Elyon has to be the most undignified princess ever.

"Nice marmot… You don't want to hurt me, do you? Now, let's just even things up a bit…" Elyon tries to summon her magic, but instead of the marmot shrinking down to normal size, she sways on the tree, and has to grab the trunk to keep from falling. "Oww. Note to self: fighting with brother and flying all over the place are too much magic for one day." She sighs. "I guess I'm also a pretty lame sorceress."

An arrow hits the tree, just missing the marmot. It startles, and then runs off.

"Are you all right?"

Looking down, Elyon sees a young man- probably her age. The part of her which still manages to be girlish notices that he's cute, with warm brown eyes, long blond hair tied back, and a kind face. "Um…yeah, I'm fine. It's just my ego that's bruised." Elyon jumps down, and she at least has enough power left to float and touch down on the ground gently. "I must be a pretty lame sorceress to get chased up a tree by a marmot, huh?"

He looks surprised, but smiles at her. "Well, that's more than most people can do. My grandmother practiced magic, but she could never do anything like that."

For a girl who's usually strong enough to give Phobos trouble, that's not much consolation, but it's a nice gesture. Elyon smiles back. "My ego thanks you." Her eyes light on his bow and arrow. "Um, should you be carrying weapons around like that? It's not your forest, right?"

He blushes and tries to hide them behind his back. "Um…no, I really shouldn't. If I ask nicely, will you not tell anyone?"

"Well, it's not like I have any friends to tell," her heart aches at how true that feels, "So…I guess you're safe." Elyon winks.

The boy nods, eyes dancing.

With a start, Elyon realizes that she's…flirting? It feels wrong, somehow. After all that she's done, she's light years away from the girl who'd sigh over cute boys like Matt and get excited over a date with some boy in her class. A woman who'd seduce her own brother for power has no place leading on a young man who looks so…so good. Innocent. She can already tell that he's too trusting for his own good, and Elyon feels sick at the idea of getting close to him.

She bites her lip, stepping backwards. "I…really need to be going now."

"How? Where are you from?" he asks, curious and only a little cautious, not cautious enough.

She shakes her head. "It doesn't matter."

"Are you sure you're all right?"

His concern is so tempting, and Elyon can imagine staying, maybe offering to help with the rebellion which he's probably a part of, but where would that lead? Her deal with Phobos hangs around her like shackles- shackles which she willingly placed on herself.

Elyon runs.

The boy follows, but she loses him in the forest, the dark foliage providing good cover. Years imprisoned in Phobos' garden haven't done much for her physique, though, and after a while she collapses at the base of a tree, hidden by fallen logs just in case. Too tired to resist, she tucks her head into her knees and cries.

-o-

His sister has fled.

It seems that Phobos can be surprised by her no longer- she truly has become _his_ sister. Certainly she had seemed earnest in her decision to ally with him, but earnestness means nothing in ones such as them. She is probably run to the rebels or the Guardians already, if a portal is willing.

Next time he sees her, he will cease to be so forgiving, and he will kill her. For all that he is not surprised, the burn of betrayal curls within him. He has never grown used to it, though he has learned to never offer loyalty in return for it.

He throws his powder on the floor rather than pouring it delicately, but the image forms all the same, showing him…

His sister. Alone.

She is in the middle of a forest, and further examination shows that there is nothing nearby. She dozes, her face showing the evidence of tears. The foolish girl has left herself vulnerable, and it occurs to Phobos that this is exactly what this is- foolishness.

She stands to be useful enough that he may give her a chance to explain herself. Just one.

Between work, he continues to watch, and eventually Elyon awakens. After looking about, apparently disoriented, she rises into the air, only to fall straight back to the earth after raising herself a few paltry inches. So she is drained.

Drained of magic, flown to the middle of nowhere after imprisonment… It is a familiar scenario.

 _You do not understand limits or rules, my son- now learn what happens to criminals who are not protected by royal blood…_

His teeth grit. "Cedric!" he calls out, and waits for the snake to arrive. "My sister seems to have misplaced herself. Do retrieve her before some forest creature chooses to make a meal out of her."

-o-

"Elyon."

"Cedric."

The slain body of the beast that had attacked her lies between them, but by unspoken consensus they ignore it, staring at each other coolly. Considering.

"This was foolish of you, Elyon," Cedric says, sounding far too much like he had in the old days, when he'd pretended to care about her.

"Have you ever been a prisoner, Cedric?"

"No, I have so far managed to escape that fate." His tone is mildly mocking, but Elyon ignores it.

"Then shut up."

She walks past him, and can feel his eyes on her.

-o-

"It seems that you need a keeper, dear sister," Phobos says smugly.

Elyon can't help but scowl, feeling childish. "What do you mean by _that_?"

His smirk grows wider. "I mean that I plan to make good on my threat from a few years ago- you shall be spending the day with Miranda."

"What? That's not fair! I don't want to hang out with someone who you forced to pretend to be my friend!"

"And yet you shall."

Exhaustion makes her tongue loose, and Elyon lashes out. "I hate you!" With that, she stomps out of the throne room, _way_ too tired to care that she sounds about three years old.

"For a moment this scene almost resembled that of an ordinary family," she hears Cedric comment.

Elyon huffs.

"He can be annoying, can't he?" Miranda leans against the wall, all fake innocence in body, but her smirk gives her away.

"Which one?"

"Why, the one who isn't a king with a short temper, of course," Miranda says, moving away from the wall and grinning wickedly.

All the smirking must be contagious, because Elyon grins back at her. "What good is being royalty if I can't insult my brother now and then and get away with it?"

"What good indeed?"

Never mind contagious smirks- Elyon must have stepped into an alternate dimension at some point, one where the real, snide Miranda is actually fun to be around. Or…maybe it just says something about her, that she's enjoying the company. She enjoy's _Phobos'_ company, for God's sake. One's got to learn to work with what's available, right?

"So, what's a grounded princess to do for fun, anyway? Study? That's always what my parents told me…"

"A library full of dark magic is hardly a punishment."

Marveling at the surrealism of it, Elyon returns, "So, sitting in my room and thinking about what I've done?"

"Earth punishments sound very boring," Miranda says, sounding just as bored.

"Well, that's kind of the point…" Elyon shakes her head. "So, dark magic it is?"

"Lead the way."

Miranda might not do much magic besides shapeshifting herself, but she knows a decent amount about it. With her help it's easy to locate the best books- well, the best books which are actually available. Some of them are sealed, and, try as she might, Elyon can't lift them.

"Big brother doesn't approve, I take it?"

Elyon gives a token scowl, but it doesn't change that she's enjoying herself. Four years with Phobos have given her a taste for snide jokes and insults, she guesses.

For a while things are quiet, but, while Elyon is looking over an evisceration spell in sick fascination, Miranda breaks the silence. "You know…a little spider told me some interesting things about the king and his little sister."

Elyon freezes. "What did you say?"

"It seems there are two snakes in our midst," Miranda continues, inspecting her fingernails.

Panic rises in her. No, no, no one should know about this… Visions of doom form in her mind, and Elyon can't seem to snap herself out of it. Calm down, calm down…

What Elyon finds isn't calm, though, but cold rage. She holds the book up to Miranda, giving her a minute to see what the page details. "Tell anyone about this, and I'll be trying this spell out on you."

Slowly, Miranda nods.

Elyon puts the book down and forces a smile, knowing that it's shaky. "So. Friends?"

Her startle fading, Miranda smiles back. "Yes… Friends."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thanks to ACompanyofSwans on FFN for helping me hash out the details of this chapter, and for general feedback!

 

 _The princess is alive._

When he first hears it, he's sure it's just some new fable sprung up by a hopeless populace. It happens every now and then, some old lady saying she saw an apparition that she swears was the Light of Meridian, or an overexcited child babbling about seeing the princess in the woods one night.

Caleb understands the desire to deny that Princess Elyon is dead, but he wishes they'd shut up about it, at least around Cornelia. One can never tell whether those rumors will set off hope or rage in her; and either way, the results are explosive.

But more and more reports are coming in, and they're not all from people he'd consider unreliable. When Vathek swears he caught sight of her on the palace walls, Caleb decides it's time for some real recon.

"Do you think you can sniff her out, Blunk? _Without_ getting sniffed out yourself?"

They're by a portal concealed in the swamps underneath the palace, which is almost too convenient- if it really is Elyon, they can escape to earth easily. It's probably a set-up or some other trick, but they can't afford not to find out the truth. If it is Elyon…

"Mean girls forced Blunk to take bath," Blunk grumbles. "Definitely not being sniffed out now."

"I thought I'd been noticing less stink than usual. You should try bathing more often."

Blunk shudders dramatically. "No! No way! Not even for all the garbage in world! Clean passlings…what crazy idea come next?"

"Princesses rising from the grave, for one. Now come on, there's an opening in the guard's shift coming up."

It always takes a bit of cajoling to get Blunk to take on a mission in the palace alone, but he's needed, mostly for his nose- if anyone can tell the difference between an astral projection and the real thing it's a passling.

It's probably just a fake, anyway, but if it is the real Elyon… Caleb stamps down on the hope viciously. The rebel leader has to deal with realities, not fool's dreams.

Caleb paces, waiting for Blunk to return. A part of him has never gotten used to this, though he's pretty much grown up in the rebellion. The waiting, the stress, the knowledge that the men you've sent out won't all come back alive… That Blunk has snuck in and out of the palace countless times before doesn't help as much as it should.

When Blunk finally comes back, he looks dazed. "Smells like princess. Looks like princess. Yells like princess, too."

"Yells?"

"Threatened Blunk with nasty spell, then said to get out before guards find Blunk."

Nasty spell? That doesn't sound like the princess, but then, it's Blunk- a spell involving soap would be nasty by his standards. And would a fake warn Blunk, show concern for his safety?

…Well, it would if it was a trap.

"Come on, Blunk, we're going back to earth."

But still, a sick feeling called hope rises in Caleb, and he doesn't know if he can crush it so easily.

-o-

"Eww, what happened down here?" Cornelia steps gingerly, not wanting to ruin her new shoes, or the hems of her new jeans. And bell bottoms had seemed like such a great idea this morning.

"Sorry, we had some pipe problems," Hay Lin says, "But we don't really have anywhere else private for witch business, so…"

"Daddy says he'll rent me an apartment next year when I start college," Cornelia offers in what must be a moment of weakness, or maybe madness. "I guess we could have meetings there."

Madness, definitely, as Hay Lin proves a second later by voicing Cornelia's worst fear. "Ooh, that's perfect! No more hanging out in the basement and having Mom and Dad walk in on us! And we'll finally have a proper place for guests from other worlds, too!"

Cornelia scowls. "Somehow this is sounding less and less like my apartment, and more like witch's apartment."

"Cheer up, Corny- think of it as running your very own hotel," Irma offers.

"But what would you charge? It's not like the rebels have much money," Hay Lin points out, and what was meant as a joke sours for all of them.

"Sorry we're late!" Will's voice calls down the stairs, breaking the uncomfortable silence. She stomps down the stairs, grumbling. "I had to sneak out- grounded again."

"But it's summer!" Hay Lin protests.

"Yeah, well, Mom caught me sneaking into bed at three in the morning. So I'm grounded, and I get a lecture on safe sex. Apparently Mom thinks I've been sneaking off to see Matt."

Matt, following her down, is blushing. "Well, not like that, anyway…"

"Ohh? Don't tell me you two haven't…"

"Cornelia!" Will's face turns a red to match her hair.

"Sorry, but I have to live vicariously, you know. Caleb's dad doesn't give us lectures about safe sex, he gives us lectures about the virtues of waiting until marriage." Cornelia shudders.

"You win," Will says, voice dry. "But I bet he doesn't ground you."

"Well, except for that once…"

"Guys, as interesting as our love lives are," Matt interrupts, voice at his most sweet and diplomatic, "Where are Taranee and Caleb? And what's this meeting about, anyway?"

Cornelia frowns. "Caleb wouldn't say. He looked kind of freaked, too, I hope he's okay…"

"You have a message, Will!" the talking cell phone calls out, and Will reads it.

"Apparently Taranee was continuing the theme- lecture from her Mom about how she's not allowed to date Nigel. She'll be here in a few minutes."

When Taranee arrives there's fire in her eyes, and she's stomping even more than Will did.

"Boy troubles?" Cornelia asks, sympathetic. Interfering parents are never fun.

"She won't even give Nigel a chance!" Taranee growls. "It's been how many years now, and she hasn't even spoken to him, but every time she finds out we've gone on a date I get yelled at! And it's not like Nigel's pulling pranks with Uriah and his gang anymore…"

They console and rant with Taranee for a while, but eventually Caleb arrives with Blunk and Mrs. Lin, and they go into business mode.

"Girls, Caleb has some news which you might find…upsetting," Mrs. Lin starts. "But hear him out before you say anything, understood?"

Caleb steps forward, looking grim. "I've been hearing some strange rumors recently, and when Vathek confirmed them…I sent Blunk into the palace to check. We think…that maybe Princess Elyon is alive."

The world freezes around Cornelia, and she doesn't hear anything said past that. Are her ears working right? Elyon…alive? Her stomach feels hollow, and her throat closes up. It can't be true…can it?

The sounds of the earth pound in her ears, her instinctive search for solace coming through again. She pulls herself out slowly, gently, not wanting to be too startled by her return to the conversation in the Silver Dragon's basement.

"So what, either it's an imposter or Elyon's gone princess of evil on us?" Irma is saying. "Why else would she stay with Phobos if she could leave?"

"No." Cornelia's voice is cold, and it strikes through the room, silencing everyone. "If it's Elyon, she'd never do that. She must be a prisoner."

"We can't know that for sure, when only Blunk's spoken to her, and just for a minute like that," Will says. Will, who was new to Heatherfield when this all started, Will, who never really got to know Elyon before Elyon left…

"We can't rule out the possibility that Phobos is still tricking her, guys," Taranee says, trying to be a very unwanted voice of reason.

"I'll go check," Cornelia says, and again things go silent. "I know Elyon- I'll be able to tell if it's really her or what, you know that."

"After the last time you tried that?" Will protests, glaring. "Just what we need, you getting captured by Phobos again!"

"That was years ago, Will! I'll be more careful!"

"You're never careful when it comes to Elyon, Cornelia!"

"Maybe that's because I actually care about her!"

"Girls, girls!" Caleb comes in between them, taking Cornelia's hands. "Look, we're all worried and don't know what to think. But Cornelia's right, she's the only one of us who'll be able to tell for good if it's Elyon or not. We can organize this properly. Cornelia can go transformed and disguised, and she can call to Taranee if she needs us for back-up."

He looks over all of them, taking on the position of leader that he's usually so careful of around the Guardians. "Come on- let's plan."

-o-

Sneaking into the palace isn't easy, but there are rebels on the inside- the women in the kitchen tell her that she'll be guided by the woman's who's been chosen as the princess's new maid. Hope shines in their eyes- they really believe it's her.

And when Cornelia enters Elyon's old room, she understands why.

"Elyon! I-is it really you?"

And it actually might be, for rather than vanishing like those ghosts did, this Elyon stares back up at her, just as shell-shocked as Cornelia is. A second later, Cornelia has her arms full of crying Elyon, and she knows she doesn't need any stupid tests. Everything about Elyon feels the same, even the sounds she makes while crying.

"Cornelia, I've missed you so much…" Elyon gasps out through sobs, face pressed into her shoulder. She's older and taller, but still short.

Cornelia tries to choke back tears of her own. "But…I thought you were dead…"

Elyon looks up at her and gives a watery, wry smile. "Black rose, technically. It's a long story. And…" Elyon gasps. "Cornelia, what are you doing here all by yourself? Do you want to be captured? Come on, we have to get you out of here."

Feeling a little numb, Cornelia follows Elyon out of the windows and the palace's towers. They fly silently for a while, moving fast to get beyond the realm of the palace. After a while Elyon brings them down to land in the woods, in what feels like pretty much the middle of nowhere. The kind of place that she would have hated before becoming Guardian- nothing but plants as far as you can see.

Now, she loves this kind of place, and she can feel herself calming down despite herself. Elyon sits down on a fallen log, and Cornelia joins her. For a while, they just sit there in silence, comfortable. Elyon leans against her, and Cornelia's arm wraps about her protectively.

God, it's such a relief. And…she's not sure what to feel. She'd thought Elyon was dead for four years, and now all of a sudden she's _here_ , and it's just…

"Elyon, what's going on?" Cornelia asks quietly, her panicked emotions still underground, taking root.

"I…" Suddenly Elyon looks nervous. "Cornelia, it's hard to explain."

"Well, let's start with the easy part? You're not dead," Cornelia says, stating the obvious, and the tears she's still holding back show in her voice. "I need more than a minute to adjust, you know."

Elyon nods. "Yeah… It's… Well, I said I wasn't technically _dead_ , right? I was stuck as a rose, which was- mostly kind of boring, actually."

Cornelia grins despite herself. "I'd say don't knock being a plant until you try it, but I guess you have." She shakes her head. "Anyway, then how are you here now?"

Looking away, Elyon says, "I found a way to get free." Somehow she doesn't sound happy about it, which makes no sense, but then, nothing about this makes any sense.

"Then why were you at the palace? You can fly and everything, you could have been home on earth by now, Elyon."

"But earth's not my home!" Elyon bursts out, and then looks at her guiltily. "I didn't mean it like that, but… Meridian is my home- I can feel it, like you feel the earth. They call me the Light of Meridian…it's in me, under my skin, and I can't just leave. The people here need me."

Cornelia nods slowly. It hurts, but it's true. She's had four years now to get used to Elyon as princess of Meridian. Dead princess, but… She chokes up again. "I get it, Elyon. But we can help you- why didn't you come to us?"

"Because…" Elyon takes a deep breath. "I have a plan to get my power back- to defeat Phobos. He's keeping me around right now because he needs my help with something, so…I'm working on it. I think it really will work."

"Really? What is it?" Hope and skepticism rise in Cornelia. It's just been too long- the thought of this war finally being over is practically foreign. So much of her life is wrapped up in it- even her relationship with Caleb. What will they talk about without battle plans and reconnaissance to work on? And she'll actually have to think about college seriously, and…

"I can't really talk about it right now," Elyon is saying distantly. That brings Cornelia back to reality. It hurts, Elyon keeping secrets from her. Though it's fair, since Cornelia letting the girls push her into keeping secrets from Elyon got her killed. Or…not. This is definitely going to take some adjustment. Good adjustment, but… "But you trust me, Cornelia, don't you? I know what I'm doing, I promise."

"But Phobos…"

"I've got some of my power back- I can hold my own against him. And right now, he needs me, so I'm safe. Please trust me?"

Elyon looks so desperate that, for all she knows it's a bad idea, Cornelia can't help but give in. "Okay. I'll trust you. But keep in touch, okay? And if things look bad, get out of there."

"Of course."

"Oh, but you've got to meet Caleb! He'll be so glad to see you!"

"Caleb… Your boyfriend?" Elyon asks.

"Uh, yeah… But he's also the rebel leader, and… Elyon, I think he really needs this. Even if you are going to disappoint him by telling him you're doing the whole undercover thing."

So they go to the portal, where Caleb and the girls are waiting. Everyone stares at Elyon in shock, but Caleb kneels, legs shaky. It's strange, seeing her proud Caleb kneel before someone, especially Elyon, who she's known since kindergarten, who she's had slumber parties and traded gossip with. It really makes it stand out, that her best friend Elyon is a princess.

-o-

The princess is alive.

Caleb kneels instinctively, shakily, staring at her in awe. Cornelia's brought her here, and Cornelia is giving him a secret smile, telling him what he already knows in his soul. Princess Elyon is alive, and the rebellion has hope.


	4. Chapter 4

His sister sits on the steps to his throne casually, displaying no concern over her situation. If their past conflicts had not taught him how canny she has truly become, he would think her a fool. Meeting with the Guardians and then waltzing back in here as if nothing has changed…

"I didn't tell them anything, you know," Elyon says, looking out to the gardens he keeps in his throne room. Some consider averted eyes to be the first sign of a liar. "I mean, what was I going to tell them? The truth?" She chuckles, the sound forced.

"Perhaps," he replies, for now passing over the aspects of the truth which his sister definitely would not want to reveal. "The Guardians would surely be glad to know that they have an advantage over me now."

Elyon snorts. "Please. With all your forces, you managed to fight them equally back when you didn't have my power on your side- you can do it again."

Something of a backhanded compliment, coming from his sister.

"Still so presumptuous, sister dear," he says, gesturing at her easy position so close to his throne. "But at least you have some understanding of your place in the scheme of things."

Elyon's gaze had come back to him, but now she averts her head again, cheeks flaming in shame.

Phobos smirks in satisfaction. He had thought her still a child, but this is a woman's shame, and well-earned shame it is.

-o-

"You left her with Phobos?"

Miriadel can only recall having been this angry two times before in her life. The first was the night that Cedric stole Elyon away, and the second was the day of the coronation which stole her daughter from her permanently. And now to find out that she is alive, but still in her brother's clutches… Tonight will make a third.

Her skills had grown rusty while taking refuge on earth, but she has been fighting with the rebellion for the past four years- her fingers itch for a sword.

"I'm sorry, Mrs… Miriadel," Cornelia says, biting her lip. It's been a while since she last slipped up and referred to her as 'Mrs. Brown' as she did as a child. Miriadel refuses to soften at the reminder of Cornelia's youth, though. "But Elyon insisted on staying- she says she has a plan to beat Phobos, and she needs to stay there to make it work. I know it's a long shot, but…I believe her."

"And it didn't occur to you that she's being hoodwinked by Phobos again?" Alborn asks, and Miriadel is relieved to see that memories aren't going to soften him, either.

"Of course it did!" Cornelia replies heatedly, clearly also forgetting the past for a moment. "But I know Elyon, and she was serious. She managed to get some of her power back from Phobos, and she says that he needs her for something. Maybe this really will work, if she's already gotten one over him once."

Miriadel shakes her head, but the part of her that still sees Elyon as the Light of Meridian more than as her daughter is rising. Alborn touches her hand, understanding in his eyes. She clutches it, taking comfort in his presence. They had never been close before they fled to earth- unwittingly, Elyon had brought them together.

Perhaps she will give trusting in her daughter a chance, as well.

-o-

"You're going to teach me to scry? Really? But I thought…" Elyon feels ridiculously excited, like she's a kid being taught magic for the first time again. But for Phobos to offer to teach her something she's wanted to know how to do for years…

"I am capable of protecting myself from your sight, sister," Phobos chides, smirking.

"You're raining on my parade here. I'm finally learning cool magic again, yay!" Elyon is getting really good at not letting Phobos' presence ruin her mood- she's practically got it down to an art form. And besides, it's not so bad when he plays along and just prods lightly, rather than cutting her down with horrid comments.

It occurs to her that it is _Phobos_ , but…maybe you can get used to anyone after enough time stuck around them?

"So, uh, where do we start?"

"With the appropriate materials. Tell me, sister, what surfaces are best for scrying?"

"Um, clear ones, right?" Just like her brother to give her a quiz right away.

"Naturally. But beyond that?"

Elyon thinks back. "Um, I'm not sure… I don't know what the stuff you use to scry is. Wouldn't water or a mirror do okay?"

"Yes, but they will not aid you in watching those protected by magic. That is why I always create my own surfaces for scrying, using the powder of stones containing magical properties."

"Gemstones?" the girly part of Elyon has to ask. "So magic is expensive?"

"If you choose not to or are unable to use the proper magical materials, your own power is required in order to break through the natural protections of those with magic such as the Guardians. Inadvisable for sorcerers who have nothing but their own life force to draw on."

Is that a warning? Elyon _has_ been having trouble adjusting to being able to use magic again, but not the vast power she had due to the Heart of Meridian; but why is Phobos bothering to warn her? He's so confusing sometimes.

Phobos looks a little disgusted by her good mood, but Elyon doesn't care. As difficult as everything is, she's still feeling her weird mix of excitement and panic after having met with Cornelia and the girls. And Caleb… It's both amazing and scary, to realize just how much the people of Meridian are depending on her. So she has to learn…

Scrying isn't as easy as it looks, though, she soon finds. She's distracted, and so the images keep changing, too fast for her to see anything useful. But after a while she sees something which captures her attention, and that seems to help. The image slows down, showing Cornelia and the girls, and…

"Ugh, they're on vacation! And here I am, stuck in magic lessons with my evil brother." Elyon doesn't bother to try to hide the bitterness.

"You weren't complaining earlier," Phobos comments, his eyes glued to the scrying surface.

"Well, now that a better option presents itself…"

Phobos ignores her.

"You're not going to see anything interesting, you know."

"Hush. It's been quite some time since I've been able to scry upon them. I'm willing to wait."

Elyon tries to dispel the image, but Phobos takes control of it easily. She huffs. "Clearly you've never been on a vacation with a teenage girl before. Shopping, gossip, tanning on the beach, swimming… There are all sorts of things to do. None of them include giving you an opening to work with."

"Four years in your company have given me some idea of what to expect."

At that Elyon snorts. "Ha! You wouldn't know the word 'vacation' if it bit you."

"Tyranny affords one little spare time."

"I guess it's a good thing you aren't aging, then. Imagine trying to do everything you do if you were like a normal man your age." Elyon shudders. Ugh, bad thought, bad thought. Remembering that she's slept with not just her brother but her seventy year old brother? Not helping things at all.

Trying to distract herself, Elyon looks back down at the image. "Doesn't this thing come with sound? Right now I feel like I'm watching T.V. on mute." T.V… Elyon sighs wistfully. It's been ages since she's watched T.V. There are some pieces of technology no amount of magic can replace.

Phobos ignores that last point, sounding impatient. "Scrying allows one to _view_ distant occurrences- it cannot capture and transfer sound."

"At least if I don't know what they're talking about, you don't either." Though you don't exactly need to be a genius at watching body language to know that they're arguing. "Well, so much for vacation."

"Indeed. There is an imposter in their midst."

"What?"

Phobos makes an impatient sound. "The blonde one- watch her shadow."

"Her shadow? What would…oh!" Heart racing, Elyon examines it. She can't see Cornelia's shadow that well in the evening light shown through the scrying mirror, but it does look off. "Is that… The old hag who stole the heart! I've got to warn them!"

Phobos's hand falls on her shoulder, gripping tightly, before she can take a step. "If you face her, she will kill you."

"She can try," Elyon snaps, pulling out from her brother's grip.

"And most likely succeed. Or do you believe yourself capable of facing her in battle as you are?"

Apparently happy to agree with this unlikely voice of reason, her mind conjures up memories of their fight with the old woman. Elyon had barely been able to keep up, and that was just with shield duty. The magic Phobos and that hag had used… Phobos had never taught her anything like it before the coronation. She's trained with him now in mock battles, and she knows he's going easy on her.

A nasty thought comes, and Elyon twists around to look up at Phobos. "But what if she's after the Heart of Kandrakar, too? We barely fought her off before, and if she gets hold of another heart…"

"Rest easy, sister. It appears that our enemy miscalculated."

Turning back, Elyon sees what he means. The long shadows of the night make her mismatched shadow very clear, and the girls figure it out. The old woman turns back from that bald man she'd been disguised as and begins to fight the girls. They seem to have her well in hand, though, and Elyon can breathe a sigh of relief. "Who was that man she turned into, anyway? Someone involved in the rebellion?"

Without answering, Phobos dispels the scrying mirror.


	5. Chapter 5

"I certainly don't envy your maid."

Elyon doesn't need to move an inch to know that it's Miranda. No one else she knows combines youth and biting sarcasm quite like that voice. Even Irma, who comes close, lacks the nasty edge. Only nowadays, Elyon doesn't _mind_ the nasty edge she finds in all of her conversations.

Elyon leans back in the bathtub. A nice perk of being royalty is actually having a bathtub in this world which, minus the magic and strange creatures, could practically be the Dark Ages. "It's the hair, isn't it? I think it grew a bit too much while I was a rose."

"A bit," Miranda repeats blandly. "I think your hair is longer than your brother's."

For some reason that makes Elyon giggle, and as she turns, she can see that Miranda smirks a little. "I was a plant- not much to do but grow."

"Every way except up."

"Gee, thanks, like I need the reminder." While Miranda hasn't grown that much herself, she has grown taller than Elyon. And curvier. Elyon sighs.

"I suppose your brother wasn't much company."

Elyon shrugs. "He wasn't that bad. He did threaten to force you to be my friend and keep me away from him every once in a while, though."

"Oh, I've been upgraded from diversion to threat? How flattering."

Elyon ducks under the water, hiding a grin. Again she's finding herself in the weird position of enjoying nasty company. Maybe it's her brother's bad influence. Resurfacing, she wipes soap suds out of her eyes. If she still had her full powers, she'd indulge in a little frivolous magic use and create a nice shower, but as it is…life force is precious. Belatedly, a thought occurs to her. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

"Given the circumstances, it was deemed optional."

"What circumstances?"

"Something about wards breaking. So it was decided that you need a guard." Miranda inspects her nails, falsely casual.

Meanwhile, Elyon shivers. "The mage broke in? How did she…"

"Apparently the wards weren't enough."

Elyon eyes Miranda suspiciously. "And how do I know you really are Miranda? Hmm. What did I threaten you with when you told me that you know…well, you know."

Miranda smirks. "Evisceration. It was an interesting spell, if you're into that sort of thing."

Knowing that it really is Miranda maybe shouldn't be such a relief, but it is. When did she start thinking of Miranda as a friend?

-o-

"How did the wards break? I thought you said they'd keep her out!"

"I did," Phobos bites out, glaring at her from up in the throne. "Now kindly stop pacing, sister, before you trample on something. Or someone."

Realizing how close she's gotten to the black roses, Elyon squeaks and makes a beeline for the truth-telling white flowers. Oh, damn, not those. Maybe…damn again. "Are there any plants here which aren't weapons of some kind?"

"The roses which grow around the columns," Phobos says absently. "We both have cause for concern, Elyon, but your childish reaction helps no one. If you feel the need to be productive, you could volunteer to be the one to brief the servants on what to watch out for." He scowls at her. "I have the oddest feeling that the request will go over much better if made by their precious _Light_."

"If you know that half your servants are probably in the rebellion," Elyon says without thinking, "Then why do you keep them around? Oops!" She covers her mouth, but it's too late. Stupid big mouth. She's gotten way too used to saying whatever she wants to Phobos. "Any chance you could just ignore that?"

"Some awareness of which servants are traitors allows the flow of information to the rebels to be corrupted." Phobos stares her up and down. "Given your own fondness for subterfuge, I'm surprised that you need to be taught something so basic."

That hated flush rises to her cheeks. "I suppose it's hard for a tyrant to come by truly loyal servants," Elyon decides to say, ignoring Phobos's jibe. "Why are you so calm, anyway?" Though the answer comes to her right after asking the question- he's probably already taken all his rage out on whichever poor servant had the dreaded task of informing him. "You didn't hurt anyone over this, did you?"

"So suspicious."

"Brother," Elyon growls, and is pleased that it really does come out as a growling sound, and not a moan. The days where Phobos called her 'baby sister' are long gone, thank goodness.

"It was my own wards she broke through," Phobos admits, looking pained.

For about a second Elyon is pleased that he has no one to blame but himself, but then she gulps. She's a close match for him, but Phobos is still the most powerful one in the castle- if he can't keep their enemy out, then they're probably in trouble. "Be careful." The words are out of her mouth before she can think them through, and Elyon goes on, trying to distract him. "With as many people out to get you as there are, you must have a good food taster, right? Or, better yet, a spell which does the job?" Oh-kay, so much for distracting him.

Phobos, probably following her line of thought, smirks. "Both. One can never be too careful." He quirks his head, considering her. "If it was a rebel threat I wouldn't bother, but I'm loathe to allow the sorceress to kill you before I get to you."

-o-

If Elyon had thought that comment cryptic when her brother first made it, she was in for a worse surprise the next day. Rather than eating in her room as she'd done before, that morning Elyon was summoned to a small (for a castle) dining room, where her brother proceeded to give her a lesson in poison testing spells over breakfast.

Pour yourself a drink. "That glass could have poison in it." … "The teapot as well, sister dear."

Lift your fork. "Elyon, you forgot to check this new plate."

On and on it went, with a new comment practically every time she tried to get down a mouthful of food. Through it all, the poor food taster was carefully silent. Working for Phobos, he must have developed a poker face ages ago.

"Can we _please_ go back to being enemies?" Elyon begs afterwards. "You were a lot easier to live with when you were secretly trying to kill me."

Her brother just smirks. "Using a food taster does not effectively safeguard against slower acting poisons, so one must always be in the habit of testing for those by oneself."

"Back on Earth I never had to check my food for poisons. I never thought I'd look back and think of that as a luxury."

Miranda, who seems to have been upgraded to bodyguard, is smirking as well now. Elyon shoots her a glare. Traitor.

"Further evidence of your poor upbringing," Phobos says.

Elyon has to bite down on her tongue to keep from saying something unfortunate about Phobos's upbringing. That would definitely ruin the mood. And the day is starting out so well, too. Phobos is actually in a good mood, despite the threat, and okay, it's because he has a good excuse to needle her, but… "My parents raised me perfectly well," she eventually says, forcing her tone to remain even.

"For an Earth girl, perhaps," Phobos says dismissively. "For a princess of Meridian, however, your upbringing is simply appalling. Your speech is far too casual, you have no idea how to conduct yourself in polite company, and you _slouch_."

For some reason Elyon finds her brother's honest outrage amusing. "Go on, tell me how you really feel." She has an unpleasant thought. "My parents…did they ever plan on bringing me back to Meridian?"

That appears to catch Phobos's interest. He gazes at her, contemplative, but after a minute he shakes his head and says, "I suspect only you can answer that question, sister."

Elyon turns back to her food, but her appetite is gone. _Did_ her parents plan on keeping her away from Meridian forever?

-o-

Elyon hides at the top of the staircase leading into the kitchens, feeling nervous. She'd gotten a bit of practice before the coronation, but not enough- she still feels like some sort of imposter or poseur every time she tries to give someone an order.

 _Just act like you're royalty. You_ _**are** _ _royalty. If you want to randomly inspect the kitchens, it's none of their business, is it?_

'Of course it's their business, it's their kitchen,' her mind instantly supplies in response.

Ignoring her contrary mind, Elyon peers down and, with a whispered word, adjusts the lighting in the room. There, now she should be able to see everyone's shadows. Not her, not her, not him…

Suddenly the door opens, bumping into Elyon and knocking her over. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" A woman's voice says. As she bends over to help her up, she gasps, and instead kneels. "Princess Elyon! Please forgive me, I…"

Getting up and brushing herself off, Elyon says, "No, it's my mistake. Right in front of the door is not a good place to stand. Please, it's all right."

The woman is plump and older, probably middle aged or a bit younger. It's hard to tell. "Is there anything I can do for you, Princess Elyon?"

"Um, no, I'm fine. Please, stop. All this kneeling is making me uncomfortable." Not letting her protest, Elyon helps the woman up. "There, see, you were already getting stiff."

"Thank you, Highness…"

Somehow, the bowing and scraping is the hardest part of adjusting to life in Meridian. Elyon can never just blend into the crowd and be ignored the way she was on Earth. It's a weird thing to miss, but then, she guesses being normal is the one thing royalty has made impossible for her.

"You're probably wondering what I'm doing in here," Elyon says, and then could hit herself. Obviously the question, while certainly on her mind, would never be asked- it wouldn't be polite to so bluntly ask. "Um…what is your name?"

"Trill, your highness."

"Well, Trill, I just came in for a snack, so I guess you can help me with that." Elyon smiles, hoping the gesture will help the older woman feel more comfortable around her.

"Princess Elyon, there wasn't any need for you to come all the way down here yourself," Trill says, looking surprised.

"Back on Earth if I'd asked someone to get a snack for me, I'd be told to go for it myself," Elyon confides. "I like being a princess much better, but sometimes old habits die hard."

That seems to have broken the ice, and soon Elyon leaves with her snack and the comforting knowledge that she has a new friend in the kitchens.

-o-

"Oh, hi, Cedric!" Oddly, the princess sounds glad to see him.

"Elyon." Cedric gives her the barest of nods.

Her brother would never forgive the disrespect; the sister never even notices. Cedric would never be foolish enough to admit it out loud, but he can appreciate the difference. Back on Earth he had found it rather refreshing, even. Subterfuge had still been his closest friend, but around the ignorant young princess he was the one holding all of the cards. It had been a pleasant change from his interactions with the other Escanors.

"Hey, what's that book? I…think I've seen it before."

Hmm. Arouse her suspicion one way or the other? Deciding, Cedric shows her the Book of Secrets, and then returns it to its shelf. "You will not be able to open it."

"Oh, so it's my brother's?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Um, lucky guess?" Elyon says, suddenly appearing awkward. Miranda coughs, and Elyon sighs. "Well, I did guess. It's usually _his_ books which won't let me open them, after all."

"Of course."

The silence stretches between them.

"So, um, this is awkward."

"I concur."

Elyon crosses her arms, frowning at him. "Be honest- are we still enemies? Because lately I've been kind of confused on that point."

Cedric raises his brow. "Are you and King Phobos still enemies?"

"Yes! …No…" Elyon looks sheepish. "I'll get back to you on that when I figure it out."

"There you have it."

With that said, Cedric takes his leave, both Elyon and her unfortunate questions behind him.

-o-

There's something nagging at her, some niggling sense that something is wrong.

Well, that at least is easy to figure out: just about everything is wrong. She's living with her brother- which in this family means her brother who wants to kill her-, she's surrounded by enemies and surprisingly used to it…

Elyon sits up and, with a huff, gets out of bed. Why bother staying if she can't sleep anyway? Sticking her feet into her embroidered silk slippers (no more fuzzy slippers which could practically double as stuffed animals for her), she pads over to the window and peers out. The windows are glass, another luxury in this world. But the wind rattles the frame, warning her not to open them up for some fresh air.

The dark clouds shift, revealing a sliver of moon. Stars are scattered across the sky, a few bright points against the darkness. A storm is brewing.

Elyon takes it all in, and slowly feels herself calming. It's sort of like when she went flying, but gentler- all of the pressures that surround her now are fading away, at least for the moment. It's not quite peace, but it's as close as she's going to get.

Of course, that means it has to be broken.

At first Elyon isn't even sure what it is, but that niggling sense of unease is back. The hairs on the back of her neck prickle, and suddenly she's sure that she's not alone. She looks behind her, nervous, and sees…

"Who are you?"

The woman is like no one Elyon has seen in the castle before. No one, except…herself and Phobos. The royal clothing, the hair which she's sure no one in Meridian but a member of their family possesses- everything about her screams Escanor. But that's not possible…is it?

It could be the old sorceress using a glamour spell, but why would she try to look like some unknown family member rather than someone innocuous, like a servant?

Elyon steps back, and her back hits the window panes. Well, at least the height of her room isn't the deterrent it would be to most- if she needs to escape, she can fly. "Who are you?" she repeats, trying to inject command into her voice, and not fear.

Common sense returns, and Elyon summons a light, revealing the woman's shadow to be…gone.

"Why don't you have a shadow?"

"I have no need of one," the woman replies. Her voice is gentle and soothing, melodious and bell-like, all at once. It's also a whisper, as if she's speaking to Elyon from a great distance, rather than a few feet away in the same room. "I am no longer part of this world, after all."

Elyon, fumbling around behind her to find the latch on the window, pauses. "Are you saying you're a spirit? A ghost?"

The intruder looks sad. "You don't recognize me, do you?"

"I've never seen you before in my life."

"Oh, Elyon." The woman takes a silent step forwards, and sighs as Elyon tenses. "But you have seen me before, little one. But then, I suppose you wouldn't remember."

Elyon bites her lip. "You aren't saying you're…"

"Please don't be afraid, little one. I would never harm you, my daughter."

Somehow, the tension Elyon is feeling changes. "And what about your son?"

The expression of the woman claiming to be her mother changes, too. Elyon can't read it, but she doesn't think she likes it. "Your brother is misguided. His hunger for power consumes him."

"I guess you'd know- you raised him." The words are out of Elyon's mouth before she can think them through, and they contain all the nastiness she's been feeling about her birth mother ever since that day in the throne room, when Raythor had told her what he knew of Phobos's youth. "Does the word 'oubliette' ring a bell?"

The expression that crosses the woman's face makes Elyon sure that she knows what she's talking about, so it must really be her. Queen Weira, her mother… "I was left with no choice," Weira says, her voice suddenly turning cold. "Always Phobos struggled against his limits, believed himself above the law. I did what I did to teach him his place."

"And it worked so well, too." Elyon glares at her mother. Feelings which she'd been able to push aside for a while now are returning- sympathy for her brother, for one thing, for all that he wants her dead. Guilt, which already was holding her back, convincing her to keep secrets which she shouldn't just so that she won't betray him again… "But then, if my mom and dad stuck me in an oubliette whenever they decided I was misbehaving, I'd probably be pretty messed up, too."

Her mother winces, correctly realizing that the parents Elyon speaks of aren't her. "Phobos believes himself above his station. It has long been known that a man hasn't the capacity to nurture the land as the Light of Meridian. All his struggles have done are prove that truth to hold."

"And I've been such a great Light of Meridian. I certainly have the purity part down pat." Elyon laughs bitterly.

Her mother winces again. "Elyon…why?" She steps forward, beseeching, and Elyon feels ice run through her. Oh God, she actually _knows_?

"Leave me alone!"

Weira continues forwards, and reaches out to take her hand. "Elyon, my dear little one, please help me understand."

But Elyon doesn't want understanding. "I said leave me alone!" she yells, and the windows behind her shatter. With nothing left at her back, her next step takes her straight out of her room, and Elyon falls.


End file.
